Tricycle type rocking horse



Aug. 15, 1950 J. J. KELLEHER 2,518,

TRICYCLE TYPE ROCKING HORSE Filed Aug. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jeremiah J. kellelrer IN VENTOR.

Aug. 15, 1950 J. J. KELLEHER TRICYCLE TYPE ROCKING HORSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1948 Jeremiah J. Kalle/yer INVENTOR.

9 BY all Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE p 2,518,899 TRICYCLE TYPE ROCKING HORSE Jeremiah J. Kelleher, Dubuque, Iowa 7 Application August 2, 1948, Serial No. 41,971 I K 3 Claims. (o1. ego-1.195)

My invention relates to improvements in rocking horses of the tricycle pedal operated type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a, rocking horse on a tricycle carriage and for steering of the carriage by swinging of a front section of the body of the horse while the duce the cost of manufacture thereof, and pro- 1' vide a strong device which is safe for children.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the suceeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved rocking horse in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a, View in front elevation;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section taken On the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary-view in perspective of the carriage and the mounting for thebody of the horse, drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and drawn to a large scale;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 66 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the rear crank shaft and the pitman.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved rocking horse as illustrated comprises a carriage frame I including the usual downwardly and rearwardly extending frame bar 2 with a forked rear end 3 and an upright front end bearing sleeve 4. A crank shaft 5 is journalled in said rear end 3 with rear ground wheels 6 on the ends thereof, one fast on said shaft to drive said shaft. A front steering wheel fork 1 has the usual upper end post 8 journalled in the bearing sleeve 4. The usual large steering and propelling wheel 3 is mounted in the steering wheel fork I for driving by the usual pedals I0.

According to my invention, a hollow body II of body.

a galloping horse is provided Which opens downwardly and straddles the described frame I above the rear end 3 and also straddles the steering and propelling wheel 9. The body II is split vertically at the shoulders of the same to divide said body into a front section I 2 and a rear section I3, the front section I2 including the chest I4, neck I5, head I6 and front legs I! of said Therear section I3 of the-body II is mounted on the frame I for vertical rocking movement as follows: A pair of side by side body supportjournalled in the sides of saidsection I3. As

will be seen, the section I3 straddles the described mounting therefor and is'arranged to rock vertically on the rod 22. By adjusting the bars I8 vertically on the bearing sleeve 4 andsimilarly adjusting the postzl in the frame bar 2 the height of the section I3 of the body II may be adjusted, as required. e v p The front section I2 of the body II is hinged to the rear section I3 to swing laterally thereon while being locked'verticallyv thereby. For this purpose, said sections I2, I3 are connected together by a hinge '23 directly above the post 8 with the axis of the hinge vertically aligned with the axis of said post and leaves 24, 25 of said hinge 23 set into confronting edges of the sections I2, I3 and secured therein by bolts 26, 21.

Steering connections are provided between the section I2 of the body II and the steering wheel fork I for turning said fork in steering by lateral swinging of said section I2 in. the direction in which it is desired to steer the steering and propelling wheel 9. The steering connections comprise a U-shaped bar 28 in said section I 2'inclining downwardly and rearwardly from the head I 6 to the steering wheel fork I. The bar 28 is vertically swingable on a bolt 29 extending through the rear end of the bar horizontally and through. a pair of ears 3!] on the front of the steering wheel fork I directly above the steering and propelling wheel 9. The opposite end of the bar 28 is slidably interposed between a pair of cross rods 3! in the head It: so that said bar 28 is endwise slidable between said rods and vertically swingable on the bolt 29 to compensate for vertical swinging of the section l2 during rocking of the body I I. Shoulders 32 on the rods 3| upon opposite sides of the bar 28 provide for lateral swinging of said bar 28 by lateral swinging of the section l2.

A pitmanrod imextends from:theorank shaft 5 up into the :sedtion 5l3 at the rear tendthereof and is pivoted on a cross rod 34 in said section I3 50 that as said shaft is revolved, the section I3 and hence the body II will be rocked vertically.

A seat 35 is provided on the -section 131011 a seat post 36 suitably secured in said sec'tion IS.

A pair of handle bars 31 extend outwardly from the neck I4 of the section l2 for [grasping by a child occupying the seat 35 and whereby the section l2 may be swung laterally for steering As .will be manifest, by swinging 'of the sec- ?tion 12 on the-body H from side to side, the bar '28 tmay be correspondingly 'swung to turn "the steering wheel fork 1andthe'steeringand pro- ,pelling wheel 9 "for isteering purposes and said bar "will swing vertically "and slide 'endwise be- -tween the rods 3| to compensate for vertical rocking of the section l2 while the section "l3 is being rocked by the pitman rod -'|'-3 and crank 'shaft 5. Because of "the'manner "in which the fbar 28 is pivoted and s'lidably mounted, resistance "to wertical "rocking of the section [2 and hence of the body '-H is negligible.

The foregoing will, "it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding -of my invention, without further explanation.

.Manifestly, the invention, as described, 'is-sus- 'eep'tible of modification, without departing from theinventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall 'within'the scope o'f the appended-claims.

Having-described the*inventiomwhatis-claimed "as-newis:

1. In 'a rocking horse, -a "tricycle marriage 'ineluding 'a, frame and a front steering wheel for-k rotatable in said '-'frame for steering, a hollow 'downward opening horse body straddling said flrame and *for'k'an'd verticallydivided atthefjuncture of the neck of the 'horsewvith the 'remainder xif the body into front and rear sec'tionspmeans 'fto moun't said body on "said frame for vertical rocking movement, means hingedly connecting said sections together for swinging of the front section on the rear section, and means for rotating said steering fork by such swinging of said front section comprising a U-shaped bar in said front section having one end pivotally connected to opposite sides of said steering fork and its other end slidably mounted in said front section.

2. In a rocking horse, a tricycle carriage includring a iframe :and'a frontsteening wheel fork supmatting the frame, a hollow downwardly opening horse body vertically divided into front and ,rear sections straddling said frame and wheel fork, the rear section being pivotally mounted on 'said frame for vertical rocking movement and ithe front .section being hinged to the rear section for rocking therewith and lateral swinging thereon, 'and means for steering said wheel by .laterallswinging of said front section during rocking of said sections, including a bar in said front sectionpivoted to said fork and slidably mounted in said front section "for' vertical-swinging -to compensate for rocking of 'said "body *rlative to said jfork.

13. In :a rocking "horse a wheeled carriage including a front rotatable 'steering wheel fork, -a horse body, means to mount said body 'on 'said carriage f or "vertical rocking movement, 1 said body being vertically divided into front and rear sections, said .front section including the 'neck and head of .thehorse, means hingedlyconnecting said sections together for lateral swinging'of the front section on the rear 'section in the axis of rotation of said fork, and means for 'rotating said 'fork by "lateral swinging of said front section comprising 'a'bar pivoted to said fork and'extendingiin said front section into said head, and a slidable connection in said head 'between the 'headandsaid bar.

JEREMIAH J.

REFERENCES =UITED 'The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

\UNIQEED STATES PATENTS "Number Name Date 1,088,185 Swender =Feb.24, 1914 1,457,205 Baker May '29, 1923 1}79556-78 Raphael Mar. 10, 1931 2,212,781 La, Bille Aug/27, 1940 21344fll62 Rine'hart 'Mar. 14, I944 250l531 'McMellon Mar. 21, 1950 

